The next week passed in a haze for Ethan. He occupied his time with answering questions about Shawn. He was an old client who had lost most of his money gambling, but Ethan had made it a point to keep in touch and give him occasional advice, despite his poor choices. Shawn apparently held a grudge against Ethan, blaming him for the loss of money. But as Ethan pointed out when he and Derrick were discussing it, the money was ultimately Shawn’s to do with as he pleased. Ethan was just an advisor. Not everyone heeded his advice.

Ethan turned his focus to the wedding. He and Derrick had spent the day after cleanup talking about their fight. “Do you want to move?” he asked Derrick that morning. The house was back in order, and there wasn’t any damage that wasn’t easily repairable.

“Actually, no. I like it here,” Derrick answered honestly. He was petting Sunshine on the couch and looking out the window that had been replaced, hopefully for the last time.

“You think Mr. Waldon will ever forgive us?” Ethan mused out loud.

Derrick turned to him, grinning. “Doubtful. Although, from what Mish told me, he was in the line for the jugging contest.”

“No way!” Ethan laughed at this unusual revelation.

“Yeah, he can hold his own for sure.” Derrick laughed with him.

Ethan sobered up a bit after a moment. “Will you ever forgive me? For the things I said?” he asked hesitantly. He had never felt more insecure about anything as he did in that moment. The ball was completely in Derrick’s court. They were both exhausted and at their wits’ end and ready for the ceremony to be over, so they could just get on a plane and head to the Maldives to be together and away from the craziness of it all.

Derrick turned to him, his eyes shining. “I think we need to be a lot better at open communication, Ethan. The last few weeks, they aren’t how we should begin our marriage. I have no doubt that you love me. Just like I hope you know that I love you. But we need to decide things together. I feel like you’ve been protecting me, trying to keep me safe, but this is life. Buying a house, getting married. You can’t protect me from that all the time.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just don’t want to see you hurt anymore. You know? All through school I had to watch as you struggled. I did my best to protect you then and to see it happen again as adults? It was unbearable.”

“Of course. Just remember we aren’t kids anymore. We both made sacrifices to move out here. I moved the clinic and you’ve been so generous, letting me have the wedding of my dreams. So let’s move on and recognize and appreciate those sacrifices and decisions for each other. I forgive you. Do you forgive me?” he asked.

Ethan was on his feet and across the room in an instant. He knelt between Derricks thighs, and Sunshine jumped off the couch and away from them. “Yes. We were stupid, and we said stupid things, and it was all just horrible.” His voice was raw as he fought to contain the emotions.

Derrick was nodding, cupping Ethan’s face between his hands with tears pouring down his own cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“Me, too. God, me, too,” Ethan croaked. And then they were kissing. It was the kind of kiss that they just got lost in with each other. Ethan didn’t know where his lips ended and Derrick’s began. They were fused so tightly their teeth scraped at one point, and he had to tilt his head back to ease off a little as Derrick’s arms wrapped around his neck. When Ethan stood up, Derrick came with him, and they made their way down the hall to the bedroom. This time, Derrick was the one to shut the door in poor Sunshine’s yipping face.

They kicked off their clothes, and before Ethan could move him into position, Derrick was the one to push Ethan towards the bed and press on his shoulders. Ethan went down on his back, his muscles quivering and his breath coming in short pants. He rarely bottomed for Derrick, instead content to give him immeasurable pleasure before finding a release of his own, so when he felt the weight of Derrick climb on top of him, he moaned as he leaned up, locking his lips to Derrick’s again in a kiss. He reached over to the nightstand, extracting the lube and applying it to make it easier for Derrick to enter him.

Derrick trembled on top of him, unaccustomed to the position of control. Ethan lifted his legs, wrapping them around Derrick’s hips and giving him easier access so that Derrick could press into him. He winced at first, but then Derrick, watching his face, went slower as he eased himself in.

Ethan rarely felt anything like it. As Derrick moved, he couldn’t help thinking he was being filled up with love instead of just physical contact. He watched Derrick’s face as it contorted into a mask of pleasure and concentration. He reached down between them, not wanting Derrick to break his rhythm as he took what he wanted and needed. He wasn’t taking his pleasure in any way that Ethan felt he shouldn’t. On the contrary, the fact that he finally found the courage to take what he wanted made Ethan even more aroused.

Ethan worked himself in his palm, feeling his hot erection slip between his fingers. He ached inside, needing to come, and every time Derrick thrust deep inside him, he hit the spot deep within that sent a jolt of pleasure spiraling through his nervous system, making his cock jump in his palm. Derrick’s thrusts became more sporadic and frantic as he tried to hold on. But Ethan used the pressure of his muscles to milk Derrick, causing him to flood his insides when he came. He collapsed against Ethan’s chest when he was done, just as Ethan felt himself release onto his belly between them.

Afterwards, he held Derrick, rubbing his fingers through his hair as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling. He couldn’t help but feel like, somehow, he had gotten it all. He didn’t know how, but what he did know was that he was very grateful. He was worried he might be jinxing himself thinking about it, that he should put such things from his mind until after the wedding, but he couldn’t help but feel deep gratitude for everything he had, the most precious thing being Derrick. His Derrick. It was with this thought that he fell asleep, with Derrick snoring lightly on his chest, and he knew everything was right again.